Process of removing tar and pitch tips from wool



Patented Feb. 8, 1944 raocass or amovmc ran awn rrrcn ms mom woor.

Joseph Niisslein and Richard Gutensohn, Frankfort-on-the-Main, mesne assignments,

Germany, assign toGeneralAnilinedtFllm Corporation, New York, N. Z, a comration of Delaware No Drawing. Application April 27, 1940, Serial No. 332,013. In Germany May 13, 1939 5C'laims. (Cl. 8-139) v The present invention relatesto a process of removing tar and pitch tips from wool material.

Pitchy substances are removed from wool material by means of organic solvents which are used either alone or in the form of aqueous emulsions. It is known that operating with solvents involves .many drawbacks.

Now we have found that the water-soluble con densation products of alpha-beta-alkylene-oxides and aliphatic or isocyclic compounds of high molecular weight containing hydroxyl groups may be used as agents for removing tarry or pitchy substances from wool and fibrous materials containing wool by applying these products in a concentration higher than usual in washing'liquors. As isocyclic compounds of high molecular weight there may be used isocyclic hydroxyl compounds substituted in the nucleus by alkyl radicals having at least 4 carbon atoms. The products which may be prepared for instance according to the process of U. S. Patent No. 1,970,578 and that decribed in U. S. application Serial No. 111,554, filed November 18, 1936, by Adolf Steindorif, Gerhard Balle, Karl Horst and Richard Michel, for "Glycol and polyslycol ethers of isocyclic hydroxyl com'poun n'ow U. S. Patent 2,213,477, issued September 3, 1940, possess a specific power for dissolving tar and pitch 'tips of all kindsr-they are eifective in an alkaline as well as in a neutral and acid medium. The products are suitably used in a concentration of about to 50 grams and more, for instance up to 100 grams per liter of water. It is advantageous to start from compounds containing hydroxyl groups and having 8 and more carbon atoms in the molecule. a The process of removing tar and pitch tips which is carried out in anaqueous mediiun is suitably combined with a mechanical treatment.

By cleaning the wool material according to the usual processes of wool washing the tar and pitch tips are not removed. In the hat and felt industry which has. mostly to do with tar and pitch tips only washed woolmaterials are worked up, and the tarry and pitchy substances are subsequently removed. Formerly they were torn out by means of tweezers but in recent times chemical agents are applied for this purpose. These agents are prepared with organic solvents. A special operation has, therefore, always to be applied for removing the tar and pitch tips and moreover one hasto put up withthe drawbacks of the organic solvents. V

The process of the present invention is adapted to the operations hitherto usual for instance in the hat and felt industry so that the removal has a weakly alkaline reaction (to phenolphthalinitial solution.

of tarry and pitchy substances does not require a special operation. Owing to the broad pH range within which the bodies claimed are effective, it is possible to clean mixtures of fibers soiled with tar and pitch tips containing sensitive fibers, for instance casein fibers. The cleaning of such fibers by a wet process with the hitherto usual agents is impossible in view of the necessity of operating in a strongly alkaline medium.

The following examples serve to illustrate the invention, but they are not intended to limit it thereto:

1. Eat felt containing 25 percentoffibers preparedwithcaseinasabaseis freedfrompltchby treating it in the stocks for 15 minutes at a pH value of 6.5 with a solution containing per liter 30 rams of the condensation product of about 6 mols of ethylene oxide and 1 mol of isooctylphenol (obtained by condensing phenol with diisobutylene) and 5 cc. of concentrated ammonia. The felt is then rinsed'and further treated in the usual manner. The casein fiber is not damaged by this treatment. The pitchy and tarry substances are completely removed.

2. Union felt consisting of 40 per cent of wool soiled with pitch tips, .40 per cent of cotton and 20 percent ofartiiicialsilkstaplefiberisfreed from pitch by treating it in the stocks with 20 grams per liter of the condensation product of 5 mols of ethylene oxide and octylphenol to which 2 cc. of ammonia have been added. The felt is then further treated in the usual manner.

3. Pure wool felt is steeped with 20 grams per liter of the product named in Example 1, while adding such a quantity of ammonia that the bath ein). The felt is then milled and rinsed with lukewarm water. The felt is then entirely free from pitch.

4o 4. Slightly milled white lini felt is passed with a weak pressure of the, rolls through a paddin machine containing a lukewarm ammoniacal solution of 60 grams per liter of the condensation product of 7 mols of ethylene oxide and isohexylphenol. The material is then milled in the stocks while refilling them with the It is washed in the Leviathan. bleached with a reducing bleaching agent, acidifled and finished.

5. A carding felt which has hem slightly felted tion containing (calculated on the weight of the material), 6 per cent of the condensation prodnot of 10 mols of ethylene oxide and isooctylphenol and 4 per cent of a concentrated solution of ammonia. The felts are allowed to rest over night superposed in layers. They are then milled with the same solution as named above, washed and worked up in the usual manner. They are distinguished by the fact that they are entirely free from pitch tips, are very pure, have a neutral reaction and show a good milling effect.

6. A light union felt consisting 0170 per cent of wool and 30 per cent of artificial silk staple fiber is. de-pitched at 50 C. in a washing machine with a solution containing per liter 60 grams of a condensation product of 22 mols of ethylene oxide and sperm'oil alcohol and 1.5 cc. of ammonia (concentrated). The felt is then rinsed and dyed with union dyestuffs. The residues of the depitching agent which remain in the material cause an improvement of the evenness and the fastness to rubbing of the dyeing.

7. A union felt consisting of '70 per cent of wool and 30 per cent of casein fibers is soaked with a solution containing per liter 30 grams of the condensation product of 5 mols of ethylene oxide and the ethanolamide of the fatty acids from hardened train oil adjusted to a pH value of '6 by the addition of formic acid. The felt is then milled in a bumper stock and washed in a washing machine. The casein fibers are preserved in an excellent condition because the washing operation is performed very rapidly.

8. A felt cloth soiled with pitch tips and containing 8 per cent of olein is milled in the dirty state witha solution containing per liter 25 grams of the condensation product of 25 to 30 mols of ethylene oxide and oleyl alcohol. The felt is then washed at a temperature beginning at 40 C. in a washing machine, while neutralizing it with sodium carbonate and ammonia. By this treatment all the pitch tips as well as dirt and grease are completely removed.

9. W001 felt soiled with pitch tips is soaked for half an hour at 70 C. in a solution containing per liter 100 grams of the condensation prodnot of 40 mols of ethylene oxide and castor oil and 5 cc. of ammonia (concentrated). The felt is then squeezed and milled in a bumper stock and finally rinsed. All kinds of pitch tips are completely removed.

10. Half-milled wool bodies are depitched in a bumper stock at a pH value of '7 with 20 grams per literoiamixtureofequalpartsofthocon densation products named in Examples 1 and By avoiding an alkaline reaction during the pitching process the quality is preserved partic ularly well.

We claim:

1. The process of removingtar and pitch tips from wool material which comprises treating the material with an aqueous solution of condensation products of alpha-beta-alkylene oxides and a member of the group consisting of aliphatic hydroxy compounds of high molecular weight I and isocyclic hydroxy compounds or high molecular weight, the concentration of the condensation products being higher than about 20 grams per liter.

2. The processor removing tar and pitch tips from wool material'whieh comprises treating the material with an aqueous solution of condensation products of ethylene oxide and a member of the group consisting of aliphatic hydroxy compounds of high molecular weight and isocyclic hydroxy compounds of high molecular weight,

the concentration of the condensation productsbeing higher than about 20 grams per liter.

3. The process of removing tar and pitch tips from wool material which comprises treating the material with an aqueous solution of about 20 to about one hundred grams per liter of condensation products of ethylene oxide and a member of the group consisting of aliphatic hydroxy compounds of high molecular weight and isocyclic hydroxy compounds of high molecular weight.

4. The process of removing tar and pitch tips from wool material which comprises treating the material with an aqueous solution of about 20 to about one hundred grams per liter of condensation products oi! ethylene oxide and isocyclic hydroxyl compounds substituted in the nucleus by alkyl radicals having at least 4 carbon atoms. 5. The process of removing tar and pitch tips from wool material which comprises treating the material with an aqueous solution of about 20 to about one hundred. grams per liter of a condensation product from about 6 mols of ethylene oxide and 1 mol of isooctylphenol obtained by condensing phenol with diisobutylene.

JOSEPH NUSSLEIN. RICHARD GUI'ENSOHZN. 

